Voting Starts Soon for San Antonio Mayor and City Council

Did you know San Antonio’s Mayoral and City Council elections are just around the corner? May 6 is the general election date, with polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting starts April 24 and runs through May 2. A convenient early voting location in Stone Oak is the Parman library.

An issue before all the voters is the $850 million bond proposal, which is divided into six propositions. According to the City of San Antonio, the bond does not involve a property tax rate increase.

Several projects in Stone Oak are slated to be funded by the bond, including development of the Classen- Steubing Ranch Park, road extensions of Hardy Oak and Huebner, and drainage and flood control at Panther Springs Park.

A Voter’s Information Guide includes the name, location, preliminary cost estimate and a general description of each of the projects. For more information, visit www.sanantonio.gov/2017bond.

If no city council candidate receives a 50 +1 percent majority, a runoff election will be held June 10. This is likely in Stone Oak’s District 9, as we are choosing from among 10 contenders running for Councilman Joe Krier’s open seat, For more information, visit https://www.bexar.org/2177/Voting-in-Bexar-County or contact the Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacquelyn F. Callanen at (210) 335-VOTE (8683).

A selection of 10 candidates practically guarantees there’s someone for everyone. “You’ve got the chamber favorite (Marco Barros), the state legislative aide (Lynlie Wallace), the former military doctor (David “Doc” Cohen), the retired dentist (Bert Cecconi), the libertarian-leaning Republican (Patricia Gibbons), the Planned Parenthood-hating social conservative (Patrick Von Dohlen) and the mental-health clinician (Sandra Martinez-Deyarmond),” according to Gilbert Garcia, in the Express-News, March 2, 2017.

Also in question, whether Wallace actually lives in the district, as reported in the same article. “City law mandates candidates must have lived in the city for a year and in the district they’re running in for six months preceding their filing for a place on the municipal ballot,” Garcia wrote. “Wallace filed her application on Jan. 25, meaning that she would have needed to be living in San Antonio by July 25, 2016.”

The following is information about the candidates, some gleaned from the records of the League of Women Voters. Party affiliations have been extrapolated from candidates’ voting records in elections from 2008-2016 provided by Bexargop.org.

Marcos Barros

President of Business Association - Republican

Barros has worked for private industry for the past 30 years in development, retail, transportation, airlines, hotels and restaurants and as an association executive. He has lived in in District 9 for 30 years and has worked closely with former council members such as Tim Bannwolf, Elisa Chan, Kevin Wolff and Joe Krier.

Cecconi has run for City Council more than 7 times in the last 30 years, mainly in District 8, until he was redistricted into District 9. In 2014, According to E.N. Reporter Garcia, Cecconi proudly stood as the lone candidate in the race who defended VIA Metropolitan Transit's controversial downtown streetcar plan.

David “Doc” Cohen

Cardio Thoracic Surgeon – Republican

“Ret. Col. Cohen, whose lengthy military service includes multiple deployments and several years as chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery Service at Brooke Army Medical Center, said after a long armed-services career, he’s ready for a foray into politics. Since retiring from active duty, Cohen said he’s been looking to dip his toe in the political waters. He said he wants to ensure San Antonians’ health and safety are protected, and that they have ‘good roads and parks,’ and an abundant water supply,” as written by Josh Baugh in the Express News, March 16, 2017.

Courage has lived in District 9 for more than 20 years and has been actively involved in the community as a teacher, youth group sponsor, HOA president and Boy Scout leader. “I’ve been involved a long time, and so I felt that it was a good time for me to offer to serve the community,” he told Baugh in the March 16 Express News. “I feel like I’m a good neighbor, and I want to be a good neighbor for the residents of District 9.” Courage said he’s studying traffic congestion issues and public safety concerns, along with the proposed 2017 bond program.

Gibbons, who owns a land-surveying company, is a precinct chairwoman for the local GOP. “She said she’s begun to shift her focus to neighborhood issues and served on the citizens’ bond oversight committee for streets, sidewalks and bridges,” according to the March 16 Express News.

She has been a political activist for conservative issues since 1986.

“Being in land surveying for 25 years has afforded me great opportunities in working with city staff and departments in planning, development and solving neighbors boundary problems,” according to the League of Women’s Voters.

Goodman has lived 9 months in the district, according to filing documents posted on SanAntonio.gov. He ran unsuccessfully for the City Council’s District 8 seat in 2015.

Sandra Martinez-Deyarmond

Licensed Professional Counselor – no voting record in this district

Martinez-Deyarmond has been a political activist for more than a decade in domestic violence, criminal justice, and mental health and has consulted as a private legislative consultant on the state level for the same length of time. She also worked as a legislative aid for Texas Senator Van De Putte.

Political Scientist and Salesman – no primary voting record in this district.

Piña, a Churchill High School graduate and former AmeriCorps member told Baugh in the March 16 Express News, “his work with ‘impoverished and underrepresented citizens’ helped him realize a need to complete a master’s degree in political science and a need to ‘make a difference.’”

Von Dohlen has “been a proactive member of the San Antonio community for more than 20 years, focused on encouraging a more responsible, open and consistent city government that fosters conscientious growth,” from the League of Women’s Voters. “I want to focus on family values, common sense and serving as an independent voice, which includes defending natural family values.”

Wallace is the chief of staff for State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio and the girlfriend of U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio. She told Baugh in the Express News March 16, “During her tenure with the Republican, Wallace has developed skills useful for navigating government, she said, and wants to use her knowledge of the district to serve its residents.”